Deep in the forest, where the trees grow so thick they block out almost all the light, lies a small pond. Its surface only occasionally glimmers in the moonlight. Everything around it is dark, and no humans ever come near.
But every evening, fairies gather there. They dance around the pond, gently dipping their bare feet into the water, their soft, giggling voices drifting through the forest like a gentle breeze
Whenever the fairies finish their evening dance, one fairy stays by the pond to guard it until morning. She must watch over it through the night to keep its magic safe. It’s not a difficult task… unless, of course, you’re afraid of the dark.
And, unfortunately, this fairy was.
Everyone called her Shiverly because she was afraid of many things – but most of all, the dark.
One evening, it was her turn to guard the pond. She didn’t know what to do. The fairies had finished their dance and left, and Shiverly was alone. She sat down in the grass by the water and gazed at its still surface. The forest grew quiet. Darkness closed in around her.
Her fear began to grow.
To calm herself, she softly began to sing
“The darkness and silence, they fill me with fear,
But I’ll be so brave while I’m waiting here.
I’ll get through it all, I’ll be perfectly fine,
But it would be easier if a small light could shine.”
Her little voice carried throughout the forest, floating on the breeze and mingling with the deep darkness all around.
Not a far away, a group of fireflies heard her song: tiny little bugs that could glow with their own bodies. They listened for a while, and then one of them said, “Poor girl, she’s struggling. Come on, let’s shine our light on her so she won’t be so afraid.”
The other fireflies agreed and followed the sound of her voice through the forest, careful not to lose their way. As they approached the pond, they spotted the fairy sitting by the water, singing to herself.
Without a sound, the fireflies gathered around her, forming a circle along the edge of the pond. Then they turned their tiny bodies outward so their light would shine s as brightly as possible.
“All right, now,” one of them whispered, “let’s light up.”
In an instant, the pond was surrounded by a soft, glowing ring. The fairy stopped singing and looked around in amazement. It was magnificent! The pitch-black darkness had vanished, replaced by a warm, shimmering light that lit up the whole clearing. The night no longer felt cold and frightening—it felt magical. Shiverly jumped to her feet and danced with joy.
“Thank you, thank you, my dear fireflies, you’ve saved me!” she cried in her sweet voice.
“You’re welcome, forest fairy!” came a reply from the glowing circle. “Today we helped you. Another time, perhaps you can help us. After all, creatures of the forest should help one another.”
That night, Shiverly guarded the pond without fear. She knew she wasn’t alone. The fireflies didn’t laugh at her – they helped her.
And one day, she would be ready to help them too.
